Asked by: Lord Snape (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what are the consequentials under the Barnett Formula for each of the devolved administrations resulting from approval of the Lower Thames Crossing.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Block Grant Transparency publication breaks down all changes in the devolved governments’ block grant funding from the 2015 Spending Review up to and including Main Estimates 2023-24. Where funding for the Lower Thames Crossing has been allocated at a fiscal event or Estimates, the publication will confirm the total Barnett consequentials received by the devolved governments. The most recent report was published in July 2023 [1]. An updated report will be published in due course.
At spending reviews, the Barnett formula is applied to the overall change in a department’s settlement using the department’s comparability factor. This means Barnett consequentials generated at spending reviews in relation to the Lower Thames Crossing specifically cannot be determined.
For any future spending on the Lower Thames Crossing, Barnett consequentials will be confirmed when UK Government departmental budgets change.
[1] You can access this report via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/block-grant-transparency-july-2023
Asked by: Lord Snape (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the advantages to rail freight and passenger services of the proposed Ely Area Capacity Enhancement and associated improvements to Haughley junction; and what is the benefit-cost ratio for these schemes; and what are their current cost estimates.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Ely Area Capacity Enhancement was assessed as having a Benefit Cost Ratio of 4.89 against a cost estimate of £489m at Outline Business Case stage, at the point the programme was paused in 2022.
We are focused on prioritising the schemes that will make the greatest difference for passengers and support economic growth as quickly as possible. The previous government had committed to a number of projects that were unfunded, including the EACE scheme.
Asked by: Lord Snape (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have for establishing a rail miles loyalty scheme to attract more people to the railways and to end the fragmentation of rail services and any resulting confusion about tickets.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
This Government has set out its ambition to simplify the ticketing system and drive innovation across the network. Affordability is one of our key objectives – so that prices are kept, wherever possible, at a point that works for both passengers and taxpayers.
Once established, I expect Great British Railways to consider the potential for loyalty schemes, as part of our intention to encourage the highest number of passengers to use our railways.
Asked by: Lord Snape (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to recommence the tendering process for the Consolidated Online Retail Solution to ensure that Great British Railways will be able to sell tickets online as well as at railway stations.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Fares, ticketing, and retail will continue to be the responsibility of train operators until Great British Railways is established. Through future legislation, we will set out the role we expect Great British Railways to play in relation to operational aspects of the railway.
Asked by: Lord Snape (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will support the establishment of a Great British Railways online rail retailer to ensure a consolidated and transparent rail retail offer in addition to existing rail retailers.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Fares, ticketing, and retail will continue to be the responsibility of train operators until Great British Railways is established. Through future legislation, we will set out the role we expect Great British Railways to play in relation to operational aspects of the railway.
Asked by: Lord Snape (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will allow Great British Railways to act as an online rail retailer.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Fares, ticketing, and retail will continue to be the responsibility of train operators until Great British Railways is established. Through future legislation, we will set out the role we expect Great British Railways to play in relation to operational aspects of the railway.
Asked by: Lord Snape (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they still plan to (1) level up, (2) decarbonise, and (3) grow the economy; and what part they envisage the railway industry can play in realising such intentions.
Answered by Baroness Penn
The Government remains committed to boosting trend growth as the route to raising living standards and delivering high quality public services across the whole of the UK. The Government is also committed to tackling climate change and delivering on our obligations to reduce emissions to net zero by 2050.
The Chancellor has announced the Autumn Statement will be delivered on 17 November. This will contain the UK’s medium-term fiscal plan, which will include an assessment of UK growth, and will be accompanied by an OBR Economic and Fiscal Outlook.
The Government recognises the rail network's important role in improving connectivity, empowering regional economies and driving growth. The Government is committed to maintaining, renewing and enhancing the rail network. In the Transport Decarbonisation Plan the Government committed to delivering a net zero rail network by 2050.
Asked by: Lord Snape (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions have taken place with independent rail retailers such as (1) SilverRail, (2) Trainline, and (3) Worldline, about future rail fare simplification.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton
We have been clear in the Plan for Rail White Paper that we want to simplify the current mass of complicated fares and tickets, whilst protecting affordable turn up and go tickets and season tickets.
We are engaging with wider industry, including independent rail retailers, as part of this work.
Asked by: Lord Snape (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government, given the postponement of legislation regarding the creation of Great British Railways, what plans they have to simplify the current railway fare structure.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton
We have been clear in the Plan for Rail White Paper we want to simplify the current mass of complicated fares and tickets, whilst protecting affordable turn up and go tickets and season tickets.
We will continue to work with the sector to tackle the challenges Keith Williams set out in the Plan for Rail, including improving fares, ticketing and retail.
Asked by: Lord Snape (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the recent announcement regarding the electrification of the Midland Main Line and the TransPennine route, what plans they have to ensure that electric haulage is used whenever possible on both (1) passenger, and (2) freight, trains.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton
We continue to work through design and development phases of these schemes and have already commenced construction works for electrification of some sections of the routes. We expect rail operators to deliver passenger and freight services with rolling stock that makes the best use of the available infrastructure, while considering operational requirements and the need to reduce industry emissions.
As we decarbonise the railway, we will design the rollout of further electrification of the Midland Main Line and the TransPennine Route Upgrade in such a way to allow the switchover from diesel to electric as soon as possible, although some services will not be able to switch immediately if they use multiple lines.